Floribunda rose plant named ‘KOR951721’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of rose which yields with long lasting hips, which are suitable in floral decorations. It exhibits vigorous growth and an upright, bushy habit. The new variety propagates well from cuttings and by grafting. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Latin name of genus and species: The botanical classification of the new rose plant is Rosa hybrida.

Variety denomination: The denomination of the new variety is ‘KOR951721’.

CROSS REFERENCES AND FEDERAL R&D STATEMENT

There are no cross referenced or related applications. This variety was developed without the aid of any research grant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of rose plant of the present invention originated from a controlled crossing in a breeding program of two distinct parents during the summer of 1995. The crossing was between a non-patented ‘un-named seedling’ and a non-patented ‘un-named seedling’.

The resulting seeds were planted during the following winter. The resulting seedlings were evaluated and exhibited distinctive physical and biological characteristics. The new rose plant was selected as a single plant from the seedling beds due to its superior characteristics and asexually propagated for further evaluation. This new and distinctive rose variety is named ‘KOR951721’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new rose plant may be distinguished from its seed parent, an ‘un-named seedling’, by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. The hips of ‘KOR951721’ are hard while the hips from the seed         parent are soft.     -   2. ‘KOR951721’ has more thorns than the seed parent.

The new rose plant may be distinguished from its pollen parent, an ‘un-named seedling’ by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. ‘KOR951721’ has a petal count of 5-7 petals while the petal         count of the pollen parent is 26-40.     -   2. The hips of ‘KOR951721’ form in clusters while the hips of         the pollen parent form singly.

The objective of the hybridization was to create a new and distinct rose plant with unique qualities, such as:

-   -   1. Uniform growth and flowering;     -   2. Abundant, long lasting decorative hips;     -   3. Attractive and abundant foliage; and     -   3. Resistance to diseases encountered in landscapes and gardens.

This combination of qualities is not present in prior rose cultivars known to the inventor. These objectives have been substantially achieved and in that distinguish ‘KOR951721’ from all other varieties of which I am aware.

As part of a rose development program, Tim-Hermann Kordes germinated seeds from the aforementioned hybridization and conducted evaluations and observations on the resulting seedlings in a controlled environment in Offenseth-Sparrieshoop, Germany. The resulting seedlings exhibited distinctive physical and biological characteristics. The new rose plant ‘KOR951721’ was selected in April 1996 from the seedling beds to be asexually propagated for further evaluation. The first asexual propagation of ‘KOR951721’ was done by budding to seedling understocks in July, 1996 at the inventor's nursery in Offenseth-Sparrieshoop, Germany.

This initial and other subsequent propagations conducted in controlled environments demonstrate that ‘KOR951721’ reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawing shows as true as is reasonably possible to obtain in color photographs of this type, the typical characteristics of the buds, flowers, reproductive organs, leaves, and stems of ‘KOR951721’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a description of ‘KOR951721’, as observed growing in July, 2011 in a nursery in Jackson County, Oreg. on plants of 3 years of age. Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 2001 except where common terms of color are used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the rose variety ‘KORcastrav’, a rose variety from the same inventor described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,091, issued on Oct. 10, 2012, is compared to ‘KOR951721’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 Characteristic ‘KOR951721’ ‘KORcastrav’ Flower bud size 20 mm (l) × 10 mm (w). 35 mm (l) × 25 mm upon opening: (w). General Tonality Red-Purple Group Red Group 45A. on open flower: N157A. Petaloids: Absent. Present.

-   Parents:     -   -   Seed parent.—An ‘un-named seedling’.         -   Pollen parent.—An ‘un-named seedling’. -   Classification:     -   -   Botanical classification.—Rosa hybrida ‘KOR951721’.         -   Commercial classification.—Floribunda rose.

FLOWER AND FLOWER BUD

-   Blooming habit: Recurrent. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—Upon opening, 20 mm in length from base of receptacle             to end of bud and 10 mm diameter at its widest point.         -   Bud form.—Short. Pointed ovoid.         -   Bud color.—As sepals first unfold, bud color is Red Group             53D. When ¼ open, the upper surface of petals is Red Group             53D, and the lower surface is Red Group 53D. Guard Petals             are Red Group 53C.         -   Sepals.—Color: Upper surface: Green Group 138B. Lower             surface: Yellow-Green Group 144A with intonations of             Greyed-Purple Group 183C and 183D. Size: Average 18 mm (l)×7             mm (w). Shape: Triangular. Strong foliaceous appendages on             three of the five sepals. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Flat at             union with receptacle. Quantity: Five. Surface texture:             Upper side: Dense pubescence. Lower surface: Slight             pubescence. Margins: Dense pubescence with stipitate glands. -   Receptacle:     -   -   Surface.—Mostly Smooth.         -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 144A with intonations of             Greyed-Purple Group 184B.         -   Shape.—Pear-shaped.         -   Size.—8 mm (h)×6 mm (w). -   Peduncle:     -   -   Surface.—With numerous stipitate glands.         -   Length.—20 to 25 mm average length.         -   Diameter.—1.5 to 2.5 mm average diameter.         -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 146D.         -   Strength.—Moderate.         -   Borne.—Multiple flower buds per stem, generally 15-20.         -   Anthocyanin.—Greyed-Purple Group 183B. -   Flower bloom:     -   -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Duration.—On the plant 3 to 5 days. As a cut flower, 3 to 4             days. Senesced petals drop away cleanly.         -   Size.—Small. When open, the average flower diameter is 35 to             40 mm and the average flower height is 20 mm.         -   Form.—Shape of flower when viewed from the side: Upon             opening, upper part: Flat. Upon opening, lower part: Flat.             Open flower, upper part: Flat. Open flower, lower part:             Convex. -   Color:     -   -   Upon opening, petals.—Outermost petals: Outer Side: Red             Group 53B. Inner Side: Red Group 53A. Innermost petals:             Outer Side: Red Group 53B. Inner Side: Red Group 53A.         -   Upon opening, basal petal spots.—Basal petal spot, outermost             petals: Outer Side: Green-Yellow Group 1D. Inner Side:             Yellow Group 2A. Basal petal spot, innermost petals: Outer             Side: Yellow Group 3B. Inner Side: Yellow Group 6A.         -   After opening, petals.—Outermost petals: Outer Side:             Red-Purple Group 59C. Inner Side: Red Group 53B. Innermost             petals: Outer Side: Red-Purple Group 59C. Inner Side: Red             Group 53B.         -   After opening, basal petal spots.—Basal petal spot,             outermost petals: Outer Side: Green-Yellow Group 162B. Inner             Side: Green-Yellow Group 162B. Basal petal spot, innermost             petals: Outer Side: Green-Yellow Group 162B. Inner Side:             Green-Yellow Group 162B. -   General tonality: On open flower Red-Purple Group N157A. No change     in the general tonality at the end of the 3^(rd) day. Afterwards,     general tonality is Red-Purple Group 66A and Red-Purple Group 65D. -   Petals:     -   -   Petal count.—Average Range: Approximately 5 petals under             normal conditions.         -   Petal reflex.—Petals reflex slightly.         -   Petal edge.—Variable. Entire to slightly lobed.         -   Petal shape.—Deltoid. Apex shape is pointed obtuse. Shape of             base is acute.         -   Petal size.—20-23 mm (l)×20-23 mm (w).         -   Thickness.—Thin.         -   Petal arrangement.—Generally in a regular pattern with             overlapping edges. -   Petaloids: Absent. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Pistils.—Approximately 20 present. Stigmas: Location:             Slightly superior in position to anthers. Color:             Yellow-Green Group 1C. Styles: Length: About 4 mm long.             Color: Yellow-Green Group 1D.         -   Stamens.—Approximately 120 on average and regularly             arranged. Anthers: Size: 1.5 mm long, on average. Pollen:             Generally present. Color: Greyed-Orange Group 163A.             Filaments: Color: Yellow Group 6A. Length: About 5 mm.

THE PLANT

-   Growth: Vigorous. -   Plant habit: Upright to bushy habit. When grown as a budded field     grown plant, the average plant height is 80-100 cm and the average     plant width is 60-80 cm. -   Stems:     -   -   Stem color.—Young wood: Yellow-Green Group 144A. Older wood:             Yellow-Green Group 144A.         -   Stem surface.—Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth. -   Prickles: Present.     -   -   Incidence.—Older stems: Few to none. Young wood: 25 per 10             each cm of stem, on average.         -   Size.—Average length: 10 mm.         -   Color.—Immature prickles: Greyed-Purple Group 184B. Mature             prickles: Greyed-Purple Group 184B.         -   Shape.—Concave. -   Leaves and leaflets: Normally 7 leaflets on normal leaves in middle     of the stem.     -   -   Venation pattern.—Pyramidal net pattern.         -   Leaf size.—130 mm (l)×100 mm (w).         -   Abundance.—Average.         -   Texture.—Leathery. Upper side of leaflet: Semi-glossy. Under             side of leaflet: Matte.         -   Color, mature foliage.—Upper Leaf Surface: Yellow-Green             Group 147A. Lower Leaf Surface: Green Group 138B.         -   Color, juvenile foliage.—Upper Leaf Surface: Yellow-Green             Group 146A. Lower Leaf Surface: Green Group 143B.         -   Anthocyanin intonation.—Present on juvenile leaf margins,             veins, and underside. Color is Greyed-Purple Group 187A. -   Stipules:     -   -   Size.—Distance between tips is 20 mm long, on average.         -   Stipule color.—Green Group 144A.         -   Anthocyanin.—Greyed-Red Group 181B.         -   Stipitate glands.—Present.         -   Margins.—Very ciliated with stipitate glands.         -   Shape.—Apex: Apiculate. Base: Winged. -   Petiole:     -   -   Length.—About 25 mm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Petiole color.—Yellow-Green Group 144A.         -   Underneath.—Smooth.         -   Margins.—With stipitate glands.         -   Anthocyanin.—Greyed-Red Group 181A.         -   Prickles.—Absent. -   Petiole rachis:     -   -   Length.—40-45 mm, on average.         -   Diameter.—1.5 mm, on average.         -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 144A.         -   Underneath.—Mostly smooth, with limited numbers of prickles             and stipitate glands.         -   Margins.—With stipitate glands.         -   Anthocyanin.—Intonations of Greyed-Red Group 181A present on             juvenile tissue.         -   Prickles.—Present. Approximately 4-8 per leaf. -   Leaflets:     -   -   Size.—Average size of the terminal leaflet is 40-45 mm             (l)×30-35 mm (w).         -   Shape.—Entire leaflet: Ovate. Base: Obtuse. Apex: Acute.         -   Margins.—Finely serrated.         -   Texture.—Leathery. -   Hips/seed formation: Numerous hips in sprays. Average size is 10 mm     (l)×10 mm (w). Initially, Yellow-Green Group 144A. Color of     Greyed-Red Group 180A when mature. -   Winter hardiness: To date, the variety has been grown successfully     in Zones 5 to 9. -   Disease resistance: Excellent resistance to powdery mildew     (Sphaerotheca pannosa), rust (Phragmidium sp.), and blackspot     (Diplocarpon rosae) diseases under normal growing conditions. -   Other comments: Cultivar produces sprays of hips which are suitable     for use in floral decoration. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of rose plant, as described and illustrated herein. 